Pipe to manhole seal

Abstract

A sealing assembly and method in which an elastomeric sealing sleeve is stretched over a strippable core, one end of the sleeve sealed to a hole in manhole structure either by casting in or by an expandable clamp. A pipe is inserted in the core and the core stripped out by tearing along a helical preweakening to allow the other end of the sleeve to constrict onto the pipe.

I claim: 
     
       1. In combination, a seal arrangement and a perimeter wall of an opening in a structure, said combination enabling a sealed connection to be made with any of a range of sizes of pipes installed in said opening, said combination comprising: a hollow cylindrical strippable sleeve core having a preweakening pattern formed therein allowing said sleeve core to be stripped by tearing along said preweakening pattern and collapsing said sleeve core;   an elastomeric sleeve having one segment stretched over said sleeve core;   said elastomeric sleeve having another segment axially offset from said one segment; and,   one end of said elastomeric sleeve another segment formed with a large headed feature extending annularly outward thereof lying radially outward from said one segment, said one end cast into a surrounding cast structure defining said opening perimeter wall.   
     
     
       2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said sleeve core comprises a plastic hollow cylinder. 
     
     
       3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said preweakening pattern comprises helical grooving in said sleeve enabling tearing apart of said sleeve by pulling of a strip portion from one end thereof. 
     
     
       4. A method of establishing a sealed connection between the inside diameter of a hole in a structure and the smaller outside diameter of a pipe inserted into said hole, said method comprising the steps of: preweakening a hollow sleeve core having an inside diameter larger than said pipe outside diameter, said preweakening of said sleeve core carried out along a pattern to enable said sleeve core to be pulled apart by tearing along said preweakening pattern to collapse said sleeve core;   stretching one segment of an elastomeric sealing sleeve of a relaxed diameter smaller than said outside diameter of said pipe over said hollow strippable sleeve core;   securing another segment of said elastomeric sleeve to said inside diameter of said hole in said structure so as to be sealed thereto;   inserting a pipe into said sleeve core so as to also lie within said stretched one segment of said elastomeric sealing sleeve;   removing said sleeve core by tearing said sleeve core along said preweakening pattern to collapse said sleeve core and allow removal thereof to cause said one segment of said elastomeric sleeve to constrict onto the outside diameter of said pipe; and,   clamping said constricted one segment of said elastomeric sleeve to said pipe.   
     
     
       5. The method according to claim 4 wherein said preweakening step comprises the step of forming a helical groove into said sleeve core. 
     
     
       6. The method according to claim 4 wherein said step of securing said another segment of said elastomeric sleeve to said inner diameter of said hole in said structure comprises the step of casting said another segment into said structure defining said inside diameter of said hole. 
     
     
       7. The method according to claim 4 wherein said step of securing said another segment of said sleeve to said inside diameter of said hole in said structure comprises the step of internally expanding said another segment so as to force said another segment of said elastomeric sleeve outwardly and against said inside diameter of said hole. 
     
     
       8. In combination, a seal arrangement and a perimeter wall of an opening in a structure, said combination enabling a sealed connection to be made with any of a range of sizes of pipes installed in said opening, said combination comprising: a hollow cylindrical strippable sleeve core having a preweakening pattern formed therein allowing said sleeve core to be stripped by tearing along said preweakening pattern and collapsing said sleeve core;   an elastomeric sleeve having one segment stretched over said sleeve core;   said elastomeric sleeve having another segment axially offset from said one segment; and,   one end of said elastomeric sleeve another segment formed with a large headed feature extending annularly outward thereof lying radially outward from said one segment, said one end cast into a surrounding cast structure defining said opening perimeter wall;   a radially expandable clamp positioned within said offset segment of said elastomeric sleeve adjacent said strippable sleeve core and securing said offset segment to said wall perimeter.